BOOT FLOOR FASTENER ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A latch assembly for latching a panel (6) to a support (20), the assembly comprises a housing (1) having means for attaching it in an aperture in a panel (6) on which it is fitted in use. A guide portion (7) is provided in the housing (1) for locating the panel (6) relative to the support (20), the guide portion (7) having an opening through which a spring-loaded catch (12) projects to engage an adjacent portion of the support (20) in use, to latch the panel (6) to the support (20). The housing (1) also has inwardly projecting load bearing abutments (23, 24). There is also provided an actuating member (11) disposed on the housing (1) and movable to operate the catch (12) to withdraw it from the opening in the guide portion (7) of the housing (1), in use, to release the panel (6) from the support (20), the actuating member (11), in use, overlying and being supported by the load bearing abutments (23, 24).

Description: BOOT FLOOR FASTENER ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a latch assembly for latching a panel to a support, and, more particularly, to a latch assembly which can be used for fastening a removable floor panel in the boot of a vehicle. An object of the invention is to provide a latch assembly in which the latching member or catch is protected from damage if the panel on which it is disposed is mis- aligned during installation or is harshly treated during removal. A further object is to provide a measure of self- align ent of the latch assembly with an aperture in the support for the panel. According to the present invention there is provided a latch assembly for latching a panel to a support, the assembly comprising a housing having means for attaching it in an aperture in a panel on which it is fitted in use; a guide portion for locating the panel relative to the support, the guide portion having an opening through which a spring-loaded catch projects to engage an adjacent portion of the support in use, to latch the panel to the support; and load bearing abutments; and an actuating member disposed on the housing and movable to operate the catch to withdraw it from the opening in the guide portion of the housing to release the panel from the support, the actuating member, in use, overlying and being supported by the abutments. Preferably the housing is defined by a body portion and a sleeve which provides the guide portion and which projects from the body portion. The catch may be a snap-fit into the housing and have an abutment cooperating with a corresponding abutment on the guide portion when the catch is withdrawn from the opening in the guide portion, to prevent the removal of the catch from the housing under high loads tending to pull the catch out from its snap-fit. The actuating member will preferably be a pivotally mounted lever which engages or which is integral with the catch, the lever being pivotable relative to or with the catch to move the catch to the withdrawn position. Preferably the lever and catch comprise a one piece substantially L-shaped pivotable member, although they may be a two piece assembly in which, in use, the lever engages with a catch arm to operate it. In order to prevent damage to the housing or shearing of the pivot pins which mount the catch in the housing the guide portion of the housing in the catch may have cooperating load bearing surfaces to support the catch against high loads on the panel tending to separate the panel from the support or on the top of the catch, so that the loads are distributed throughout the housing rather than being concentrated on the pivot pins and the immediately surrounding portion of the housing. These surfaces may also distribute loads when the actuating member is used to lift the panel after release, so that the actuating member is not inadvertently pulled out of the housing. The load bearing surfaces may comprise one or more inwardly projecting shoulders on the housing and a surface on the L-shaped member overlying the shoulders in use. The actuating member may, of course, form a handle by means of which the panel may be lifted relative to the support, particularly so if the panel is a floor member of a vehicle boot. Preferably the actuating member is housed so that, with a catch in its operative position, the actuating member lies within the envelope of the housing and is not proud of the housing. The guide portion of the housing may have a chamfered guide surface in order to guide the housing into a slot or recess in the support. Two examples of latch assemblies according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a first example when the catch is in a latching position; Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sections of the first example through the latch assembly in, respectively, the latching and unlatching position; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the first example; Figure 5 is a plan view of the housing alone of the first example; Figure 6 is a cross-section through the housing of the first example; Figure 7 is a cross-section through the catch of the first example; Figure 8 is a horizontal section through the catch of the first example; Figure 9 is a plan view of a second example when the catch is in a latching position; and. Figure 10 is a cross-section of the second example through the latch assembly in the latching position. Referring to the first example in figures l to 8, the housing 1 has a generally rectangular appearance in plan view and comprises a plastics moulding which provides a main or body part 2 in the form of a shallow box with upstanding walls 3 and a peripheral top flange 4. On opposite front and rear upstanding walls 3 of the body part 2 there are provided projections 5 spaced a given distance below the underside of the top flange 4 in order to provide a recess into which the edge of an aperture in a floor panel 6 can be fitted, so that the housing can be snap- fitted into the aperture in the floor panel 6. Projecting from the bottom of the body portion 2 of the housing is a narrower sleeve-like guide portion 7 which has an elongate rearwardly opening slot 8 and a wider forwardly opening aperture 9. Disposed in the housing as a snap-fit and pivotally mounted, is a one-piece substantially L-shaped lever and catch 10, the L-shaped member providing a top lever 11 which provides an actuating member for a depending catch arm 12 on which are mounted, at the lower end (as seen in figures 3 and 4) a forwardly projecting catch projection 13 and a rearwardly projecting abutment projection 14. Disposed between the rear of the catch arm 12 and the rear surface of the sleeve of the guide portion 7 is a coil biasing spring 15 which biases the L-shaped member into the position shown in figure 2. Inwardly projecting columns 16 on the inside of the walls of the main, body portion of the housing have upper surfaces 17 which provide ledges on which the underside of the lever 11 sits in use to define the position of maximum projection of the catch projection 13. The L-shaped member has projecting pivot pins 18 which are snap-fitted into oval bearing apertures 19 formed in the housing, the pins 18 projecting from the sides of the L-shaped member adjacent to the junction between the catch arm 12 and top lever 11 and a forwardly projecting portion 18' of the lever 11. As will readily be appreciated by studying figures 2 and 3, in which the latch assembly is shown mounted on the floor panel 6 and engaged with a support 20 which has an aperture through which the sleeve 7 projects in use, the catch projection 13 engages the underside of a portion of the support 20 at the edge of the aperture 21 and is releasable by lifting the lever 11 until the projecting abutment 14 enters the rear slot 8 and the catch projection 13 is withdrawn fully into the guide sleeve 7, at which time the panel can be lifted relative to the support in order to be removed. The lower portion of the guide sleeve 7 has chamfers 22 which help to guide the sleeve into the aperture 21 when the panel is presented to the support. Usually, the panel will be hinged at a position remote from the latch assembly but minor misalignment can occur and chamfering the edges of the guide sleeve 7 serves to improve engagement. The abutment projection 14, fitting within the slot 8, serves to prevent heavy-handed use of the lever 11 pulling the L-shaped member out of its snap-fit engagement with the housing. The ledges 17 on the columns 16 also provide some support for the underside of the lever 11 against downward loads on the lever which might otherwise cause breaking off of the pivot pins 18. However, the main load bearing services are provided by webs 23 (best seen in Figures 2,3, 5 & 6) which project inwardly from the front of the housing and which provide upper load-bearing edges 24. The load- bearing surfaces lie directly beneath the pivot axis of the catch 10 and abut against downwardly facing surfaces 25 which merge into chord surfaces 26 which are co-axial with the pins 18. This ensures that downwardly acting forces acting through the pivot axis are borne by the load bearing surfaces 24,25/26. It will be appreciated that the catch is fully protected within the housing so that, when the housing sleeve is presented to the aperture in the support only the downwardly facing chamfered portion 13' engages the edge of the aperture allowing the catch to be moved backwards against the bias of the spring 15 as the sleeve passes further into the aperture 21. At such time as the catch projection 13 lies below the support, it can then spring forwards under the action of the biasing spring 15 in order to latch the panel firmly to the support. To release the panel from the support, the lever 11 is lifted, pivoting the catch arm 12 and thus removing the catch projection 13 from engagement. Continued lifting of the lever lifts the panel clear of the support. The second example, shown in figures 9 and 10, is similar in its operation to the first example, and corresponding components are identically numbered. In this example, the lever 11 and catch arm 12 are separate components and are pivotally retained by a pivot pin held in a slot in the housing 1. A torsional biasing spring 15 is located at the pivotal connection between lever 11 and catch arm 12 and urges the catch arm toward a latched position and the lever towards its housed position. When a user moves the lever 11 towards the opening position, dogs 27 on the lever 11 engage in slots in the catch arm 12. Movement of the lever 11 urges the catch arm 12 towards the releasing position. Thus, when the lever is in its housed position, this arrangement allows the latch to slam shut without the lever 11 moving. The dogs 27 and slots in the catch arm 12 act with the abutment 14 to prevent heavy-handed use of the lever 11 assembly pulling the arrangement out of its snap fit housing in the manner described in the first example.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A latch assembly for latching a panel to a support, the assembly comprising a housing having means for attaching it in an aperture in a panel on which it is fitted in use; a guide portion for locating the panel relative to the support, the guide portion having an opening through which a spring-loaded catch projects to engage an adjacent portion of the support in use, to latch the panel to the support; and load bearing abutments; and an actuating member disposed on the housing and movable to operate the catch to withdraw it from the opening in the guide portion of the housing, in use, to release the panel from the support, the actuating member overlying and being supported by the load bearing abutments. 2. A latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing is defined by a body portion and a sleeve which provides the guide portion and which projects from the body portion. 3. A latch assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the catch snap-fits into the housing and has an abutment cooperating with a corresponding abutment on the guide portion when the catch is withdrawn from the opening in the guide portion. 4. A latch according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the actuating member is a pivotally mounted lever which engages or which is integral with the catch, the lever being pivotable relative to or with the catch to move the catch to the withdrawn position. 5. A latch according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lever and catch comprise a one piece substantially L-shaped pivotable member. 6. A latch according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the catch has cooperating load bearing surfaces to support the catch against high loads on the panel, so that the loads are distributed throughout the housing. 7. A latch according to claim 6, when dependent upon claim 5, wherein the load bearing surfaces comprise one or more inwardly projecting shoulders on the housing and a surface on the L-shaped member overlying the shoulders in use. 8. A latch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating member forms a handle by means of which the panel may be lifted relative to the support. 9. A latch according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the actuating member and catch are separate components. 10. A latch according to claim 9, wherein the actuating member and catch are pivotally connected, with one of the actuating member and catch having protruding load bearing dogs, and the other having slots for receiving the dogs when the actuating member is urged toward a release position. 11. A latch according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating member is housed so that, with a catch in its operative position, the actuating member lies within the envelope of the housing and is not proud of the housing.

Inventors: ETHERIDGE DEAN MARTIN, WRIGHT ANDREW CHARLES, ETHERIDGE, DEAN, MARTIN, WRIGHT, ANDREW, CHARLES
Applicants: DZUS FASTENER EUROPE, ETHERIDGE DEAN MARTIN, WRIGHT ANDREW CHARLES, DZUS FASTENER EUROPE LIMITED, ETHERIDGE, DEAN, MARTIN, WRIGHT, ANDREW, CHARLES
Application year: 1994
Main classification: E05C3
IPC codes: E05B15, E05C3